Claimed
by ivy-queen
Summary: After Sasuke’s return to Konoha, he finds his friendship with Naruto threatened much to the amusement of their friends.
1. Of Jealousy and Bets

**Summary: **After Sasuke's return to Konoha, he finds his friendship with Naruto threatened much to the amusement of their friends.

**Rating**: T

**Warning**: Shounen-ai, some OOCness I guess.

**Disclaimer**: Not mine and never will be.

**A/N**: The result of my boredom.

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**Claimed**

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The atmosphere was thick with smoke and the overwhelming smell of booze. Blinking lights illuminated the dimply lit establishment and music blasted from the large speakers situated at its four corners. A few tables were scattered around the dance floor of the small club where some individuals were enjoying the throbbing pulse of the loud music as they moved sensually against their dancing partners. The other occupants were lounging at the tables or near the bar, leaning against the counter and indulging in the alcohol. Far removed from all the activity a lone figure stood at a dark corner, coal-black eyes trained on two people that were deep in conversation at the bar. A scowl deepened when they leaned towards each other as one of them, an attractive dark-haired man whispered something into the ear of his blonde friend.

At the same time, all of these events were being observed with varying degrees of amusement by a small group of friends who sat at one of the tables.

"Twenty on eight minutes," muttered Kiba, gulping down his sake as he glanced between the brooding man and the conversing couple.

Hyuuga Neji raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow and disagreed with the Jounin. "That's too hasty. In my opinion, Uchiha has more self control than that,"

Kiba's reply was cut off by laughter. Both of them turned enquiringly to the source and to see Ino fanning herself in an attempt to calm her amusement. "Come on, Neji. He looks ready to kill, and since when has Sasuke-kun ever been patient when it concerns Naruto?"

"She's got a point," said Chouji, sliding an arm across his girlfriend's shoulders in a show of support. "I'll stick with Ino's prediction of five minutes. Twenty from me as well," This earned him a blinding smile from the pretty blonde.

Neji smirked as everyone else at the table groaned at the disgustingly sweet display. "All I'm saying is that Uchiha would want to completely obliterate the competition, and for that he probably is plotting as we speak."

"Right, right, we understand. So, are you going to place a bet or not?" drawled Shikamaru, eyes flicking to his wrist-watch. "One minute and forty seconds has already passed," he added as an afterthought.

Oblivious to his comrades' little game, Uchiha Sasuke was busy worrying his mind over the most painful methods of exterminating the _pest_ who was troubling Naruto. It did not occur to the seething Chuunin that the wide grin fixed on his friend's face meant that the blonde Jounin was actually enjoying the company of this particular pest. Instead, his entire focus was on the irritatingly familiar smile on the pest's face, and the way one of his hands were tracing lazy circles on Naruto's thigh in tune to the beat of the music. That offending hand needed to broken into a dozen pieces and then fried in boiling oil. How dare anyone act so familiar towards _his_ Naruto? As soon as that thought crossed his mind, Sasuke blinked in confusion.

My _Naruto? Hn, I must have had too much to drink_, he wondered idly while glancing down at his fifth helping of sake. A loud bark of laughter brought his attention back to the light-haired Jounin and his mood darkened even further at the presented image. Naruto was sprawled against his smiling companion in a very intimate position, apparently too intoxicated to stand without support_. On second thought, I need more alcohol_.

As if feeling the death glare directed at him, the dark-haired Anbu looked over at Sasuke's corner as he shifted the drunken Jounin back onto the seat with an effort. Eyebrows rising, the gentle smile turned mischievous on Sai's face when he witnessed the envy in the other man's eyes. With the sole purpose of irking the seething teen, Sai hugged Naruto against him in a show of keeping the blonde upright. In return, Naruto buried his face into the crook of his neck in a drunken daze and mumbled something unintelligible.

_Take that, Uchiha Sasuke_, he thought triumphantly.

Sasuke inhaled sharply and nearly choked at the ridiculous amount of smoke in the air.

While a part of him writhed in jealousy, another side of him knew that he deserved all of this torture for allowing himself to be lost in the delicious idea of revenge some years ago. Why should Naruto remain as his best friend when he had harshly cast him aside for his own selfish purposes? When Sasuke had tried to kill and hurt him? He knew that he should be extremely thankful for the fact that Naruto still had the heart to regard him as a friend when he eventually returned to Konoha.

Yet, he could not appreciate the gesture when he realised that his place in Naruto's heart was slowly being replaced by none other than his substitute in Team Seven – the pest called Sai. His long absence had proved as an advantage for the Anbu member, who had woven a spell on the blonde. A spell that made the blue-eyed Jounin cling to Sai like glue.

However, it was time for the Uchiha to make his move. Sasuke did not plan to idly watch his best friend being taken away by the pest without a proper fight. Eyes locked on Sai's, whose hand was caressing Naruto's back; he straightened up in a silent challenge. _Naruto's mine and I'll claim him_. With that thought, he strode over to the pair. Somehow, it failed to occur to the Chuunin that maybe what he was feeling for his best friend had far exceeded friendship by that time.

"Six minutes and twenty five seconds," announced Shikamaru, squinting at the time. "Sasuke's on the move,"

Groans sounded across the table. The only one left with a pleased grin was a beautiful pink-haired Jounin.

"Hand over the money," sang Haruno Sakura gleefully. "I won fair and square,"

Ino pointed an accusing finger at her friend and snarled, "You know them too well. It's not fair on the rest of us,"

"Hey, just because I was on the same team, don't lower me down to their level of thinking," snapped Sakura, busily collecting the money her friends were offering with sighs of regret. "It was a lucky guess. Now hand over the money, Ino-pig,"

After a lot of huffing, the light-haired teen complied. "Fine! Here you go, greedy big forehead girl," Sakura bristled, but before she could start a fight with the other Jounin, Kiba interrupted with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

"Anyone up for another round?"

Shikamaru sighed exasperatedly, "So troublesome." However, his opinions were disregarded in favour of Kiba's suggestion. Neji remained silent, pale eyes trained on Sasuke as he reached his destination. "The terms?" he asked finally.

Kiba chuckled and said in a loud whisper, "Simple – who will Naruto choose?"

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A/N: Yet another attempt at Naruto fiction. I hope this one doesn't disappoint. Continue it or not?**


	2. Of Fights and Lectures

**Summary:** Naruto does not appreciate being treated as a delicate flower.

**Rating:** T

**Warning:** possible OOCness, shounen-ai

**Disclaimer:** Not mine and never will be.

**A/N:** To everyone who reviewed the first chapter, thank you so much. Your encouragement got me to finish this chapter a lot sooner than expected.

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**Claimed**

Part Two: Of Fights and Lectures

"Naruto, I think you've had enough," whispered Sai, trying to extract a bottle of sake from his blond friend's grip. "Why don't I take you home now?"

In response, the other ninja shook his head unsteadily and continued to sag against the dark-haired Anbu. Sighing in exasperation, Sai gazed down fondly at the Jounin who had managed to become his closest friend in a span of four years.

He still marvelled at how easily the blonde had managed to creep into his life and fill the gaping hole left by his brother. As part of Team Seven, they had continued to pursue the evasive Uchiha Sasuke even though failure had plagued them through out the journey. His dislike for the young Uchiha had mounted to a new level after each failure when he witnessed the raw pain evident in Naruto's eyes. Even though by that time Sakura had developed immunity to the hurt, it seemed as if Sasuke had left a wound in Naruto that refused to heal. Never the one to understand feelings, Sai had been at loss at how to support his team mate until one rainy night following another such failure Sakura had told him that his presence was all that Naruto needed. Following her advice proved to be the right decision when the vacant look in Naruto's eyes slowly started to disappear in his company. Sai was left with a feeling of accomplishment, knowing that he had also managed to return the favour by mending the wound in Naruto. After years of loneliness, both boys had finally managed to form another meaningful bond – a bond that Sai vowed to cherish, unlike Sasuke, who had chosen to severe the one he had had with Naruto.

For that reason alone, he could not curb the resentment he felt for Uchiha Sasuke, when the teen decided to waltz back into their life one day. According to the report given to the Hokage by the runaway, he had finally attained his revenge and hence decided to retire back to his village in hopes of amending the damage he had caused. Sasuke's acceptance into Konoha was hesitant, but still inevitable. Even though his position as a ninja was suspended during the first few months, his aid in the capture and execution of Orochimaru led him to be seen as a hero in the eyes of the villagers once again. What irked Sai the most was the easy manner in which Sasuke managed to gain Naruto's forgiveness. However, to his and Sasuke's surprise the blonde Jounin had chosen to keep his company instead of running back to his returned friend. This was how Sai found himself part of a fierce competition – one to determine who deserved to be Naruto's closest friend.

_I'd rather chop off an arm than let you be taken away by that deserter_, thought Sai running a hand through the silky golden hair of his dozing friend.

Suddenly the air around them dropped a few degrees, jolting the Anbu out of his thoughts. _Speak of the devil_, he thought in annoyance when he felt the ominous chakra radiating from the dark figure in front of them.

Lips quirking up in a small smile, Sai raised both eyebrows in question at the dark-haired man. Unwilling to indulge the young Anbu with an answer, Sasuke tightly pressed his lips together and continued to glare at the man who was still clutching on to Naruto in a distinctly possessive manner.

"May I help you, Sasuke-kun?" asked Sai, raising his voice just enough so that his voice could be barely heard over the loud music playing in the club.

At the mention of the cursed name, the blonde stirred and lifted his head from Sai's shoulder. "Sasuke?" he mumbled, blinking bright blue eyes at the young Chuunin in an attempt to clear his head from its alcohol-induced state.

Tearing his eyes away from the silent challenge in the Anbu's eyes, Sasuke looked down at his friend and frowned at seeing the undignified state of Naruto. The blond hair was standing up in disarray, a slight sheen of sweat covered his forehead, too bright eyes were unfocused and his cheeks were flushed as if suffering from a high fever. To sum it all up, Uzumaki Naruto was drunk as a skunk and yet, his fingers still held another bottle of sake.

"Idiot, are you trying to drown yourself in alcohol?" snapped Sasuke, trying to pry the bottle away from a surprisingly firm grip. "And you, why didn't you try to stop him?"

Sai's polite smile vanished without a trace. "The last time I checked, you are not Naruto's master," he bit out snidely, "or his _best friend_ anymore. So kindly refrain from sticking your royal nose in our business." Naruto stiffened next to him, the effects from the sake receding away at a fast pace while Sasuke narrowed his eyes dangerously.

"I'm sorry, but I think Naruto is the only one who has the right to decide who his best friend is." growled Sasuke, clenching his fists tightly.

"And he has, while you were busy licking Orochimaru's toes," replied Sai with a smug smile, ignoring the warning glare directed at him by the unsteady blonde in between them.

"Sai-" started Naruto only to stop abruptly when the seething Chuunin landed a hard punch directly in the center of Sai's face. "Sasuke! What the hell are you doing?"

Reeling back from the shock, Sai's hand went up to his nose and felt the warm wetness. The shock was promptly replaced with a boiling anger. Leaping away from the other dark-haired teen, Sai reached inside one of his pants pockets to withdraw one of his scrolls. At the same time, Sasuke's hands flashed in a very familiar sequence of seals as he drew in his breath for the valued fire technique of the Uchiha clan. However, before any of them could act upon their intentions, the drunk Jounin they were fighting over decided to take control of the situation. With a strangled war cry, the sake from his precious bottle was splashed at a startled Sasuke, who unintentionally swallowed some and ended up choking on it. In another clumsy motion, Naruto leapt towards Sai and both of them ended up on the ground in a tangle of limbs.

Everyone in the club froze, gazes locked on the spectacle. The music still thundered in the background. Wiping his face with the sleeve of his shirt, Sasuke masked his mortification by schooling his expression into one of utter calmness. His eyes landed on the two figures sprawled across the floor, but before he could move a muscle another person stepped in between them. Looking up, he was met with the fierce green eyes of Sakura who shook her head at him warningly. Then without a word, she grabbed the collar of Naruto's vest and lifted him onto shaky legs. With her other hand, she grabbed on to Sai's left ear and dragged him to his feet as well.

"You three kids are going to go home now," she stated firmly. "And apologize to everyone before you leave,"

Wisely, none of the three men argued back even though Sasuke bristled at being called a kid. Instead, they mumbled their apologies and shuffled out of the club with Sakura at their heels. Disappointed at the turn of events, Kiba slumped in his chair. "Damn, when things were getting good…I guess no one wins this time,"

An eerie smirk crossed Neji's handsome face. "What are you talking about, Kiba? The game has only just started,"

At the confused looks that appeared on some of their faces, Shikamaru sighed in resignation and explained, "We didn't set a time limit for this bet, did we? Naruto just hasn't chosen yet, but he probably will in time. It doesn't look like Sasuke or Sai are planning to back away any time soon,"

Suddenly Ino jumped up from her seat and started to stride towards the entrance of the club.

"Ino, where are you going?" called Chouji in confusion.

"I don't want to miss anything," she replied, winking cheekily. Soon, a small group of ninja's were crowded at the door, peeping at the four figures that stood outside on the deserted road of Konoha.

Eyes were averted as the three men fidgeted around uneasily under the disapproving frown of the pink-haired konuichi. Naruto was still being supported by Sai much to the irritation of Sasuke. Seeing the pout on the Chuunin's face, their female companion fought back her amusement. After all a smile wouldn't suit the stern lecture she was about to bestow upon her friends.

"You should be ashamed of yourselves," rebuked Sakura, shaking her head in exasperation. "Naruto, haven't I told you before to control your drinking? Seriously, hanging around Jiraiya-sama too much sure hasn't been good on you,"

Naruto hiccupped and turned big blue eyes pleadingly towards her. "But _Sakura-chan_-,"

A hard whack on his arm nearly upset his delicate balance and he ended up wobbling precariously on his legs. "Don't you 'Sakura-chan' me, you idiot!" The blonde quickly ducked behind Sai and squinted at her with a wounded look. "And don't look at me like that! Obviously you have no tolerance for alcohol, so stop trying to impress everyone by drinking so much. In the end, it's us who get hassled with the task of dragging you home,"

The blonde sniffed behind Sai who gulped nervously when the fuming female shifted her frown at him. "Sai, you really need to stop giving into this idiot so easily every single time. If you keep spoiling him like this, his dependence on you will know no limits. On top of that, his health is at risk here. Keep buying him alcohol and one of these days he'll come around asking you to buy him a liver as well."

Sasuke stared gleefully as the Anbu paled with every single word. He was too busy taking pleasure in the cornered look that had etched across Sai's face to notice Sakura whirling around to face him. The only warning he received was the sudden smirk that appeared on the dark-haired man's face before his head was chewed to bits by the volatile woman. "And you, Sasuke-kun! I expected Naruto and Sai to act like idiots as usual. But never would I have thought that the _elite_ Uchiha Sasuke would initiate a brawl in public. Did you by any chance leave your pride and dignity at Orochimaru's headquarters?"

He opened his mouth angrily but shut it at once when both the men behind Sakura shook their head. With a sinking feeling, he remembered the strength of the pink-haired Jounin's punch and quickly decided to keep his opinions to himself.

"If you have a problem with these two, then sort it out with them in private. We don't need the people of this village to think that the Konoha ninjas are emotionally and mentally unstable. Remember, you are still on trial among us and if we feel that you are trouble, we'll confine you into your apartment and place you under surveillance again. So, behave yourself,"

Finally reaching the end of her lecture to the immense relief of the others, Sakura gracefully turned heel and started to stroll back into the club. "Make sure you get Naruto home, safe and sound," she called over her shoulder.

Rolling his eyes in irritation, Sasuke walked over to the other two men and stretched out an arm, ignoring the questioning look Sai gave him. "I'll take him home,"

"Look, I'm-" started Naruto, darting nervous looks between the two dark-haired men surrounding him. However, he was interrupted once again as Sai snorted and draped an arm protectively against his waist.

"I don't think so, Sasuke-kun. As Sakura pointed out, you are mentally unstable and I really don't want to leave _my_ closest friend in the hands of a betrayer," said Sai with a forced pleasant smile.

"I don't need-" Naruto tried again only to be cut off by a furious Sasuke. "Is that the only thing you can talk about? It's getting rather boring now, so until you can come up with some original material, keep your trap shut. Now, hand him over."

"No. He's going home with me,"

"_I'm_ taking him home, so do us a favour and disappear,"

"Are you deaf as well as dumb? I said-."

A vein twitched at Naruto's temple as he listened to his friends' argument. Maybe it was the alcohol in his system fiddling with his brain, but he couldn't help but feel like a girl who was stuck in the middle of a game of tug-of-war between two jealous admirers. It was understandable that the blonde did not appreciate this feeling, when his masculinity was under question. Just because he was a bit intoxicated, it did not give either of his friends the right to treat him like a delicate little flower that needed protection. And anyway, their voices were suddenly sounding too high-pitched for him. So he chose the only option that guaranteed his sanity to be left intact. He took advantage of the distraction of the other two as they quarrelled and detached himself from the possessive hold Sai had on him. Then Naruto wobbled off into the night, imagining his inviting bed that was fortunately very far away from the two screeching cats.

"…_my_ friend!"

"We've been friends for a longer time," snarled Sasuke, tightening his grip on Sai's collar.

"You left Konoha and him. Don't think that you can crawl back and claim him as if everything is back to normal,"

"Fine! We'll let Naruto choose then,"

"First sensible thing you've said," Sai muttered as both of them turned towards the blonde…and gaped in confusion at his noticeable absence.

"Naruto?" called Sai, worry clouding his mind as he thought of the many disastrous situations the other might be in, in his drunken state – and Sakura's wrath for letting the blonde wander in that state.

"Where's he? What did you do with him?" Sasuke snapped, looking positively murderous.

"I've been here with you all the time, did you see me do anything?" the Anbu asked incredulously.

"He's gone home," said a deep voice, startling both of them before they could start another fight. They whirled around to find a smirking Hyuuga Neji. "While you two were busy arguing, he went home. There's no need to worry. Shikamaru and Sakura are accompanying him,"

"Oh," Sasuke felt his ears burn with embarrassment at the revelation. "Hn, I'll head home as well," He shot one last glare at Sai that promised him a lot of hard times in the days ahead before stalking away from the two Anbu members.

Sai kept his smile fixed on his face until the Chuunin disappeared into the darkness. _You don't deserve Naruto and I'll make sure of it_, he thought darkly. Then turning to Neji, he nodded once in farewell and started on the trip to his apartment, all the while thinking of ways to keep his blonde friend safe from the clutches of the young Uchiha.

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A/N: I'm not too happy with this chapter. > Continue?


	3. Of Dreams and Visits

**Summary**: Naruto gets an unexpected visitor very early in the morning.

**Rating**: T

**Warning**: Shounen-ai, possible OOCness

**Disclaimer**: Not mine and never will be.

**A/N**: To all the reveiwers, you guys are the best! Thank you so much for all the encouragement. The reviews sure spurred me on to keep writing this fic.

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**Claimed**

Part Three: Of Dreams and Visits

Naruto gaped down at the man in front of him in wonder. Blood rushed to his face and his heart beat quickened. Dark eyes stared up at him intensely as strong pale hands gripped both of his hands. The blonde cleared his throat a few times before attempting to speak.

"What did you just say?" Unfortunately for him, his voice still came out as a high-pitched squeak.

"Marry me, Uzumaki Naruto," repeated the dark-haired man earnestly.

He blanched at the proposition, still refusing to accept the outrageous situation. At least this confirmed that his hearing was intact, but Naruto had a feeling that his sanity had deserted him. After all, what else would explain the kneeling Uchiha Sasuke in front of him who was proposing marriage in a very serious manner? Unless the other ninja was pulling a very nasty prank on him, but Naruto knew that the other ninja would rather jump off a cliff than participate in any such act of fun. Eyebrows furrowed, the blonde was abusing his brain in desperate hopes of coming up with a good explanation when a leg whizzed through the air, kicking the Uchiha away from Naruto.

"How dare you propose to my wife?" thundered a voice from behind Naruto as a pair of arms encircled his waist.

Craning his neck, Naruto came face to face with none other than Sai. He nearly sighed in relief before Sai's words registered in his muddled brain. "_Wife?_"

"Darling, was Sasuke-kun harassing you again?" murmured Sai gazing lovingly at the blonde, who stared back with disbelief.

"Keep your filthy hands off of him! _I'm_ marrying him," snarled Sasuke, pulling at Naruto's hands.

"I've already married him while you were off killing your psycho brother," retorted Sai, trying to pull the blonde away from the other man.

Naruto closed his eyes tightly and screamed, "I'm nobody's wife. I'm a freaking _man_!" Yet, none of the two men listened to him and continued to pull him in two different directions until his head started ringing loudly from the pain. _I'm going to rip in two and die_, he wondered in panic. The insistent ringing got louder and louder. "No! _Stop it!_"

Gasping in panic, Naruto opened his eyes wide and blinked. Sai and Sasuke were no where to be seen. He was lying in his bed, sheets twisted around his legs. Still feeling disoriented, he warily glanced around his small bedroom to confirm that he was alone and safe from his crazy friends. The room was still dark apart from a few rays of sunlight that streamed through the closed curtains.

_Only a dream_, the blonde sighed in relief as he reached for the alarm clock that was still ringing and switched it off, _a very strange dream_. With a sheepish grin, Naruto leapt off the bed and immediately fell back on it as his hangover kicked in. "Geez, why did I drink so much?" he groaned, clutching his head in pain. After moaning on his bed for almost another ten minutes, the young Jounin finally decided that only one thing could cure his hammering headache – ramen. In fact, even the mere thought of it lessened the pain. Whistling happily, he stumbled in to the bathroom take a much needed shower to get rid of the powerful stench of alcohol and smoke.

However, his relaxing shower was short-lived as a sudden banging noise alerted him of a visitor. Hastily wrapping a towel around his waist, he sprinted out of the bathroom, nearly slipping on the wet floor in his hurry. The frequency of the pounding on his door increased and his receding headache decided to reappear with a vengeance much to his chagrin. Wincing in pain at the loud noise, he yelled, "I'm nearly there! Stop freaking out on the poor door, will you?"

The banging persisted. Growling angrily, Naruto flung open the door forcefully. "Why the hell are – _you_?"

Leaning against the door frame casually was none other than Uchiha Sasuke, looking entirely too awake and smug. Unbidden, images of the embarrassing dream flashed through his mind. On top of that, his brain also managed to drag some fuzzy images of the previous night's incidents into his consciousness. This left him feeling extremely flustered and naked, clad in only a towel in front of the other man – who wasn't improving matters by slowly letting his gaze travel down over Naruto's soaking figure.

"W-what are you doing here?" the blonde stammered, hands tightening the towel around his waist self-consciously.

_Nice abs_, the dark-haired teen wondered in mild surprise. Dark eyes flicked up to Naruto's face and Sasuke smirked, noting the red tinge on the whiskered face. "Stalking you," he drawled and held back his glee when the tinge blossomed into a full-blown blush on the other man's face.

"_W-what?_" Naruto choked out, his heart momentarily halting in its rapid pace.

Straightening up, Sasuke reached across and cuffed the blonde across his head. "I'm just kidding, you idiot," he scoffed. "Are you going to invite me in or what?"

Naruto continued to gape at him. Rolling his eyes, Sasuke shoved past the blonde and sauntered in to the Jounin's small apartment. The place smelt strongly of ramen and the Chuunin noted the numerous empty ramen containers strewn across the place along with a few items of clothing. Gingerly picking up a black t-shirt from the ancient couch, he flung it at the frozen blonde and settled down. Naruto snapped out of his daze when the item of clothing flopped down on his wet golden locks. Shivering, he slammed the door shut and whirled around to face the relaxed Uchiha.

"What do you want?"he asked, eyes darting around the apartment. Sasuke kept silent and amused himself for a few more minutes, enjoying the various colours that crossed Naruto's face. Finally, when it looked like Naruto was about to crack, he said, "Do I need a reason to visit my best friend?"

The Jounin did a fabulous imitation of a fish before sighing. "I guess not. It's extremely early, so I just thought something important had happened," he said with a sheepish grin. "And anyway, you never do visit anyone,"

Sasuke cheered inwardly when the other man did not decide to throw him out. That morning, he had woken up extra early in order to apologize to the blonde for the previous night's incidents before that other rat could. He knew that if he didn't act fast, Sai would worm his way into Naruto's day as usual. _But today, he's all mine_, Sasuke thought smugly as he tried to make himself comfortable on the very uncooperative lump that Naruto called a couch. The agenda of the dark-haired teen for the day was to appeal to the blonde and then stick to Naruto like glue as soon as forgiveness was granted. However, judging from the carefree grin on his old friend's face, Sasuke wondered if Naruto had no memory of the past night's fights. Maybe he could still hold onto his pride and forget about the apology…

"Are you feeling OK, Sasuke?" The dark-haired Chuunin jerked out of his ponderings and regarded the anxious look on Naruto's face.

"I'm fine. Why?" Sasuke asked. A cheeky grin suddenly appeared on the blonde's face. "It's just so unusual to see you smiling so much, that's why," said Naruto throwing the t-shirt into Sasuke's startled face. "You look scary like that,"

Growling in irritation, the Uchiha lunged towards his laughing friend in hopes of throwing a few punches. In an impressive display of agility, Naruto managed to escape his grip and sprint to another room with his towel still intact. "I'll be out in five, so entertain yourself," he yelled as a door slammed shut and the shower was turned on once again.

Sasuke chuckled when the other's voice started wailing an off-key song soon after. After a few minutes of listening to the horrible singing, he decided to investigate the apartment out of concern for his sanity. Snooping through the cupboards in the small kitchen, he found stocks of instant food – mainly cup ramen. The fridge mainly contained of milk, some of it expired.

_He certainly doesn't take care of himself very well_, he wondered exasperatedly, _that idiot_. Dark eyes roamed around the place until they landed on the door that Naruto had disappeared into a few minutes ago – the door that undeniably led to the blonde's bedroom. Sasuke hesitated as his pride battled with his curiosity over the concept of respecting his friend's privacy. Finally his curiosity won over and he stepped into the bedroom cautiously and raised an eyebrow as he took in the rumpled sheets of the bed and the clothes strewn across the floor. Steam was streaming out from an open door to the side and he could hear Naruto's voice drifting out of it clearly along with the sound of water.

A group of photographs decorating one of the walls caught Sasuke's attention. Hoping that Naruto would remain in the shower for some time longer, he strode over to the wall to examine the pictures closely. Lips curved in a wistful smile when dark eyes fell on a photo of the original Team Seven – the same one that he had always kept with him. In the picture Sakura smiled in between the scowling figures of Naruto and himself, while Kakashi hovered over them good-naturedly. Memories refreshed in his mind and he found himself regretting his past decisions once again. It did not help that his presence was replaced by the smiling face of another dark-haired boy in the rest of the pictures that decorated the wall.

"Nice, aren't they?"

Startled out of his hateful thoughts towards the smiling image of Sai, the nineteen-year old turned towards the deep voice and inhaled sharply. Once again, with only a small towel around his waist, Naruto grinned at the dark-haired Chuunin. Strangely, Sasuke felt his breath quicken as his eyes appreciated the way water droplets dripped from the other boy's golden locks onto his torso and trailed down slowly over the tan skin. The sudden heat that sprang to his cheeks confused him and Sasuke quickly averted his gaze in hopes of stopping the blush.

"It kind of became a ritual for us," said Naruto, shifting through his wardrobe. "After every remarkable mission, a picture of all of us was taken to commemorate the victory,"

Staring steadfastly at the pictures, Sasuke muttered, "That's…nice,"

"Yeah, Sai can come up with good ideas once in a while," laughed Naruto.

"Sai?" hissed Sasuke as he whirled around to face his friend, momentarily forgetting about the half-naked state of the other. Fortunately, during their conversation Naruto had slipped on a pair of black pants and was currently drying his hair with the towel.

"Yes, Sai," Naruto frowned. "Why are you suddenly so upset?"

"I'm not. Don't be stupid," scoffed Sasuke, embarrassed that he had revealed so much on his face. "It's just that…that guy is always with you, isn't he?"

The blonde gave him a strange look. "So? We _are_ good friends after all,"

Bristling at the casual statement, dark eyes narrowed dangerously at the pictures on the wall. "I just don't trust him," he muttered quietly.

Blue eyes widened and Naruto gaped at his friend for a while before doubling over in laughter. Sasuke blinked at his friend in confusion and crossed his arms across his chest in annoyance. "What? What's so funny, idiot?"

The blonde did not answer as he pounded on the floor, tears streaming down his face in his hilarity. Clenching his jaw angrily, Sasuke glared at the Jounin and thought up of the most painful ways to kill Naruto along with his irritating new best friend Sai. He certainly did not appreciate being laughed at by the number one idiot in Konoha.

Finally calming down from the fit of laughter, Naruto grinned up at his annoyed friend from his position on the floor. "Geez, Sasuke. Keep on acting like that and people would soon start assuming that you actually are not a cold-hearted jerk. You wouldn't want that, would you?" he chuckled.

"What did you just call me, idiot?"

"I believe I called you a cold-hearted jerk, Sasuke-_chan_," Naruto replied in a sing-song voice and stuck his tongue out at Sasuke.

The last string holding his frustration in place snapped and Sasuke launched himself at the grinning blonde with a growl "Take it back, you idiot." Naruto grunted at the impact as Sasuke's weight pinned his body to the ground and braced his hands against the other man's chest in hopes of throwing Sasuke off. However, before this could be done, one of Sasuke's hands caressed his bare side. To his horror, laughter bubbled out of his throat and Naruto squatted at the offending hand while squirming desperately. Sasuke glanced up at Naruto's flushed face with something akin to surprise on his face. For further confirmation, Sasuke brushed his fingers lightly against his friend's side again. Right on cue, the blonde let out a loud squawk of laughter and writhed even more.

Sasuke smirked evilly. "By any chance, are you ticklish, Naruto?" he whispered in the other's ear and smiled when Naruto slapped at his wandering hand.

"Stop that, Sasuke. You are not playing fair, jerk," Naruto whined, trying to head-butt him.

"So? Jerks don't play fair," the Chuunin sneered down at the pleading look on Naruto's face. "Now, take back what you said,"

"No way!" Unfortunately for the blonde, it was not the answer Sasuke wanted. He renewed his attack on the Jounin's side and chuckled when his friend started to giggle hysterically, looking very vulnerable and flushed.

"_S-stop_, Sasuke! You cold-hearted jerk!" Naruto gasped, flailing his arms around wildly.

Sasuke opened his mouth to repeat his demand once again and then sputtered in bewilderment when he was abruptly lifted off of the blonde. Naruto's laughter halted abruptly and his eyes widened as they focused on a spot behind Sasuke. Tensing, Sasuke twisted away from the firm grip on his shirt and drew back his fist, ready to throw a punch at the culprit. HisHis good mood took a nosedive at the sight of the face that greeted him and his hand dropped hesitantly.

Dark eyes glared back at him and a voice dripping with venom hissed, "Naruto asked you to stop. So I suggest that you respect his wishes, Sasuke-kun"

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A/N: This chapter took off in a completely different direction from what I had planned. Oh well, I blame it on the stupid headache I always seem to have these days.**


	4. Of Fashion and Ramen

**Summary**: Naruto's fashion sense is under question and his two best friends decide to spoil him with ramen. The competition is on.

**Rating**: T

**Warning**: possible OOCness and a lot of glaring. Tee hee...

**Disclaimer**: Again, not mine and never will be.

**A/N**: Ok, first of all, thanks to my wonderful reveiwers. You guys rock my world. And on a second note, I'm really sorry for taking so long with the update. I've just been travelling here and there, didn't really get a chance to settle down and work on this baby. Hopefully, my writing hasn't got too rusty after such a long time. Anyway, this chapter is dedicated to all my reveiwers who are ever so sweet and supportive. Hope you like it. Thanks guys.

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**Claimed**

Part Four: Of Fashion and Ramen

A sudden draft of cool air breezed through the bedroom of a teenager who was known through out Konoha as the 'Loudest and most unpredictable ninja'. Ominous-looking storm clouds gathered outside the apartment complex, blocking the sunlight that had been streaming through one of the bedroom windows cheerily only a few seconds ago. Lightening sliced through the charged air, frying some random unfortunate soul who had just stepped out of the complex and the deafening clap of thunder filled the small room as two figures continued a memorable showdown of glaring.

Well, the storm was a bit of an exaggeration, but it certainly fit the mood present in Naruto's bedroom at that moment. Seated on the floor, the blonde Jounin eyed the malicious looks etched across the faces of his friends. This was certainly not the way he wanted to begin a new day. The animosity between his two closest friends puzzled him to no end. To be fair, Sai did have a reason to dislike Sasuke. After all, he had been with Naruto and Sakura through all their hardships as they struggled to bring Sasuke back to Konoha, mission after mission. However, he couldn't understand why the Uchiha disliked Sai so much.

"_I just don't trust him,"_

Frowning, Naruto looked at the Anbu. Why didn't Sasuke trust him? Outside the small incident where Sai had betrayed Team Seven during their first mission, he had never given them a chance to doubt him. On top of that, he had made a conscious effort to fit in and even tried to befriend Sasuke when the renegade ninja had returned to the village.

_Well, I guess after Itachi, I can't really blame Sasuke for having trust issues._ Sighing, Naruto glanced at the alarm clock sitting on his bedside table, blue eyes widening as he realised that the competition of glares had gone on for a good five minutes.

_What the heck? OK, enough is enough. It's way too early for this _and_ I'm getting hungry_, he decided when a growl sounded from his achingly empty stomach. On top of that, his head was still throbbing dully from the hangover. Standing up in one fluid movement, Naruto glided over to his open wardrobe silently – until his feet caught on the towel that had dropped to the floor during the little tussle he had had with Sasuke earlier. With a loud squawk, he pitched forward with his arms flailing around in the perfect imitation of Kiba dancing after a few drinks. Of course, being an extremely talented and capable Jounin, Naruto could have easily broken his fall by employing some fancy footwork. Unfortunately, on an empty stomach, this capable ninja was pretty much reduced to a useless bundle of flapping limbs. Squeezing his eyes shut, Naruto braced himself for the impact as the cold floor rushed towards his face at breakneck speed.

"Oomph!"

Surprisingly enough, the impact came a lot sooner than he expected…and the floor was a lot softer than he had imagined. And since when did his floor smell so nice and clean?

"Are you all right, Naruto?" Sai's voice sounded concerned and very close. Regaining his wits quickly, the blonde realised that he was not lying on the floor, but draped unceremoniously against the lean body of the dark-haired Anbu instead. Naruto raised his head from Sai's chest and glanced sheepishly at the amused look in the dark eyes of the man who was acting as his cushion.

_Way to go, Naruto. It is really no wonder that people still don't take you seriously_, he wondered in embarrassment while scrambling off the grinning ninja. "Yeah, I'm fine. Fine and dandy. Brilliant, in fact," he rambled with his blond head bowed to avoid the incredulous look Sasuke was shooting at him. "Thanks, Sai."

"You didn't have to get up so quickly," Sai drawled as he took Naruto's outstretched hand and rose to his feet languidly. The blonde stuck out his tongue at Sai and laughed in response.

The smug look that Sai cast at the young Uchiha was completely missed by Naruto as he shuffled through the numerous orange garments in his closet. Shooting another icy glare that could have frozen an entire country at the smirking Anbu, Sasuke strode over to his best friend who had an utmost look of concentration as he seriously contemplated between two similar orange t-shirts.

Rolling his eyes, Sasuke reached across the blonde into the far corner of the closet and plucked the only shirt that was thankfully orange-free.

"Here, wear this," he muttered quietly, turning to hand the piece of clothing to a bemused Naruto. Involuntarily, Sasuke's eyes raked over the expose of tan skin again as soon as Naruto came into view. Flinching inwardly, he averted his eyes while mentally berating himself for ogling his best friend like some love-struck fan girl. Really, what in the world was wrong with him these days? "Hurry up and wear it, idiot,"

Naruto snapped out of his stupor and frowned at Sasuke. "Stop ordering me around in _my_ house, you jerk. What's the rush, anyway? It's not like we are late for anything," he grumbled as he shrugged into the tight-fitting white t-shirt that was decorated only by a yellow swirl across the chest. "And why can't I wear the orange shirt? I look a lot manlier in it,"

For a moment, silence reigned over the room – only to be broken by the hooting of a lone owl that flew past. With a great effort on his part, Sai managed to keep a straight face as he observed the composed Uchiha struggle to maintain a scowl on his face and fail. Flashes of disbelief, wonder and disgust mingled on the other man's face, which resulted in Sasuke gaining a constipated look on his pale face. Sai's anger towards him dampened minutely as he felt a tinge of sympathy towards his newest rival as the distraught Chuunin fought a losing battle with his sanity as he tried to understand the enigma that was Uzumaki Naruto.

"Manlier?" Sasuke squeaked, looking a bit green around the gills.

Taking pity on the weakening ninja in an act of generosity, Sai decided to step in before Naruto could offer one of his mind-breaking explanations. "Naruto, you look manly in everything. The white will compliment your hair,"

Naruto beamed at him. Sasuke scowled. _Ungrateful prat_, Sai thought as he smiled genially at the Uchiha, masking his annoyance successfully as usual. _I just saved you from some mental-scarring at the expense of sounding like a girl, Mr I-have-a-stick-of-ice-up-my-ass_. _Just you wait, Uchiha_.

"But you are right, Naruto. You do look a lot better in orange," he finished with a bright smile, ignoring Sasuke's murderous expression.

With a thoughtful frown on his face, Naruto nodded. "Of course I do. Hmm…I bet Sasuke here doesn't want me to hog all the girls' attention. Right, Sasuke? Jealous of my dashing good looks, aren't you?"

If possible, the glare on the pale man's face intensified at the sight of the blonde's cheeky grin. "Haven't come across a mirror lately, have you?" Sasuke growled back.

"Aw, come on, admit it. You know that I'm hot stuff," the blonde crooned while he put a hand on his hip and struck a pose that was an accurate imitation of Yamanako Ino. Sai would have cracked up at the image if he hadn't noticed the light blush that dusted across Sasuke's face at the sight of a pouting Naruto. "I'm a sizzler, a heart throb. Check out these toned muscles,"

Sai agreed wholeheartedly with him. He found his friend to be one of the most attractive males alive and never wasted a second in admiring the sight. However, much to his irritation it seemed as if the Uchiha had come to the same decision as well. Unconsciously, Sasuke's eyes were roaming over the image of the blonde slowly and Sai didn't like the look on the other man's face one bit.

"Right, right. We know that you are a sizzler and that Sasuke-kun can't hold a candle to your good looks," Sai announced, winking at the flustered Uchiha. "So, are you ready to go?" he enquired his best friend as said boy changed out of the white shirt and slipped on a bright orange vest.

Two pair of eyes focused on him; one held a look of utter contempt. "Go where?" echoed two voices in unison. Sai frowned as the other two exchanged startled looks and chuckled. It was clear that Sasuke had made the first move in their little informal competition. Certainly, the scene that had greeted him earlier that morning had been proof and Sai felt like kicking himself over the head for underestimating a deadly foe such as the great Uchiha Sasuke. After all, Naruto seemed to have a special place in his life reserved for the Chuunin and if things kept proceeding at this rate, pretty soon Sasuke would invade the place that Sai had managed to secure in the blonde's life and succeed with the claiming. Even so, it was never too late to do some damage control.

"Where else? To Ichiraku's, of course. So that I can buy you some ramen for breakfast," Sai announced, eyes gleaming with triumph as Naruto practically started to drool all over the floor at the thought of his weakness, "as _usual_."

_And I'm back in the game._ He gloated internally at witnessing the briefest look of helplessness that had flashed across Sasuke's face before the ninja arranged his face into one of his infamous frigid glares. Sai allowed the warm smile on his face to twist into a smirk as he raised an eyebrow in challenge at the seething man.

"Oi, you two! Are you going to stare at each other all day or what?" Naruto's loud voice jolted the two dark-haired men out of their unfriendly thoughts. "I'm starving to death over here. Sai, buy me some ramen first and then you two can go back to admiring each other." The blonde snickered at the identical looks of revulsion that appeared on his friends' faces.

"OK, let's head out, shall we?" the Anbu jumped in quickly before Naruto could come up with any more ridiculous suggestions. With a blinding grin, the blonde threw an arm around the taller ninja's shoulder and started dragging him out of the bedroom. Much to Sai's glee, Naruto seemed to have forgotten about the brooding Uchiha at the thought of food.

"Che. Who, in their right mind, would admire _him_?" Sasuke muttered quietly under his breath, dark eyes burning a hole in the back of Sai's head as he followed the two out of Naruto's apartment. He couldn't help but sulk like a little boy whose precious candy had been snatched away by one of the big bullies of the school. Why did that pest have to show up right in the middle of all the fun? Did that man have no respect for other people's privacy whatsoever? Why didn't Naruto tell the Anbu off for letting himself in to the blonde's house without any permission? It couldn't be a usual occurrence, could it?

Most importantly, why the _heck_ did Naruto just disregard him as soon as that stupid pest brought up _ramen_? What about the little bonding session they had had earlier that morning?

_Let's face it, ramen's more important to that idiot than you_, scoffed a voice at the back of his head. Sasuke's dark mood worsened, if possible, when his best friend suddenly laughed loudly – the dark-haired Anbu had apparently cracked a joke. _So what? I can be funny as well_, thought Sasuke while trying to come up with a discreet way he could intervene between the two ninjas who were deep in conversation in front of him. However, the thought of being discreet vanished when Sai leaned in far too close to Naruto to whisper something in his ear.

"Naruto!" he snarled. The pair halted in their tracks and turned their attention on Sasuke in surprise. Unfortunately for the young Chuunin, many of the villagers passing by stopped to stare at him as well. Scowling at the people, who hurried away from the scene in fear, he motioned for Naruto to come closer.

Tilting his head in question, the blonde wandered over and asked, "What is it?"

"You've got a leaf caught in your hair," he muttered, hand reaching out to pluck out a nonexistent leaf from the spiky blond locks. _Great, I've been reduced to petty tricks._

Running a hand through his hair, giving it an even messier look, Naruto smiled wryly at him. "Oh, heh! Thanks, I always seem to get things tangled in my stupid hair,"

Sasuke tugged on a blond lock before retracting his hand and inwardly congratulated himself – the attention of the Jounin was back on him. "Hn, I like your hair,"

Silence.

Naruto stared at him as if he had just spurted out an extra head. Sai's eyebrows were in grave danger of disappearing into his hairline. Sasuke blinked. Did he just say what he thought he said? Judging by the startled look on his friend's face, he most certainly did.

Clearing his throat, Sasuke decided that too much attention was never a good idea. Even from Naruto, who was still gazing at him with a strange look on his face. "So, should we hurry? I thought you were hungry," he reminded Naruto.

Thankfully, the strange look in Naruto's eyes was immediately replaced by a hungry glint and his stomach rumbled rather loudly on cue. Rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, he exclaimed, "Sai, I hope you are buying me a lot of ramen," and then turning back to Sasuke, he grinned wickedly. "So, what was that about my hair, _Sasu-chan_?"

Stifling a groan, Sasuke braced himself for the oncoming attack of taunts. As expected, the blonde did not disappoint as he teased, poked and even flirted with Sasuke constantly during their walk to the ramen place. Through the layers of frustration the dark-haired Chuunin was feeling, a part of him was still overjoyed with the whole situation. Especially after catching the disheartened look in Sai's eyes as he walked beside them. From the looks of it, Naruto was warming to Sasuke more and more as time passed and Sai was feeling threatened by his presence. Sasuke smirked inwardly. Things were looking better already.

"…sink your hands into my amazingly soft and pretty hair, right?" Naruto was saying when Sasuke turned his attention back to the present.

"Yeah," the Uchiha agreed absently as all three ninjas piled into the seats at Ichiraku's Ramen.

"You _do_?" sputtered Naruto, looking dumbstruck.

"I do?" Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows. What was going on?

To his surprise, Naruto gulped nervously and shrank away from him towards an amused looking Sai. "H-hey, I was just kidding, Sasuke. No need to get so serious about it,"

"About _what_, idiot?" he snapped, feeling irritated with the blonde. Why was Sai smiling so much?

Before the other could respond, an elderly man with a warm smile appeared before them. "Welcome, young lads," Ichiraku nodded at each of them and his smile grew at the sight of the blonde ninja. "Well, well, if it isn't my favourite customer. How are you today, Naruto-kun?"

"Just great, old man," Naruto grinned, momentarily forgetting his discomfort after Sasuke's surprising answer. "And starving as well. I could eat tons and tons. Sai's treating me,"

Ichiraku laughed and ruffled the blonde's hair while Sai smiled pleasantly and Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Of course. Let's just hope that I have enough supplies to satisfy that hunger of yours, Naruto-kun," Sasuke doubted it.

The dark-haired Chuunin watched in morbid fascination as the blonde gulped down the ramen, bowl after bowl, without any hesitation for the next fifteen minutes. This was something he was certain that he would never understand about Naruto. How could one person consume so much ramen in one go without getting sick? Sasuke's hunger had been satisfied just by two bowls as was Sai's. But around Naruto, the empty bowls kept piling until he had built a fort with them around him. Feeling a bit sick to his stomach, Sasuke watched the blonde slurp down the last bit of the soup in his last bowl. Swiping a hand across his mouth, Naruto smacked his lips loudly and turned to Sai once again. Unfortunately for the blonde and to Sasuke's relief, it appeared that the Anbu had spent all the money that he had been carrying on him.

"I'm sorry, Naruto, but that's all I have at the moment," Sai said with a shrug of his shoulders. The blonde wilted visibly.

"Oh, that's too bad, Naruto-kun. Well, why don't you come back tomorrow?" Ichiraku smiled at the upset ninja, looking a bit relieved as well.

With one last look at the numerous empty bowls littering the counter, Naruto hopped off the stool. "Yeah, I'll do that, I guess. Thanks for the ramen, old man. And thanks, Sai. You are the greatest,"

"Anything for you, Naruto," Sai smiled at the Jounin who had draped an arm across his shoulder and then smirked at the other dark-haired man, revelling in his success. Sasuke smirked back and made up his mind on impulse.

"Old man, keep the ramen coming. _I've_ still got money," drawled the young Chuunin, taking out his rather full wallet. _Ha! Take that, you pest_.

"A-are you sure?" Ichiraku asked hesitantly. Sasuke nodded and nearly tumbled off his seat as his vision was suddenly filled with a lot of golden hair. Overjoyed, Naruto had launched himself at Sasuke, hugging the startled man before he could put up any resistance.

"Sasuke! You are the best," he cried out, still squeezing the breath out of the struggling Uchiha while Sai frowned at the pair. As abruptly as he had clutched onto Sasuke, the Jounin let go of him as well. Blue eyes narrowed suspiciously at him as Naruto edged away from him. "But why are you buying me ramen?"

"Should I not?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow in question and laughed silently when the blonde shook his head vigorously.

"N-no, no! Of course, you should!" exclaimed Naruto, "but you never buy me ramen. So why now?"

The Uchiha held back an impatient sigh and forced a pleasant look on his face. "I just feel like it. Now, just shut up and eat,"

Still eyeing him warily, Naruto mumbled, "It's not because you want to touch my hair, right? Because there is no way that I'm letting you anywhere near it,"

Sai's shoulder shook with restrained laughter when Sasuke started choking on his drink. The shocked Chuunin sputtered and coughed as he tried to understand the nonsensical rubbish that had just streamed out of Naruto's mouth – he desperately hoped Ichiraku had gone temporarily deaf. Concerned, Naruto started thumping on his friend's back while Ichiraku watched on in alarm.

"Oi, _Oi_! Sasuke! Are you all right? Can you breathe? _Talk to me, you jerk_,"

"S-stop hitting me, idiot," Sasuke choked out, tears gathering at the corner of his eyes. "And what the hell are you talking about, you moron? Why would I want to touch your hair?"

Naruto frowned, "But you said so, earlier. Remember?"

"No I _didn't_. Think twice before you spout out such nonsense," he snapped, avoiding the gleeful smile that was etched across his rival's face. "Now, shut up or else I won't buy you any more ramen,"

That promptly silenced the confused blonde. And the silence continued much to Sasuke's relief as Ichiraku supplied Naruto with more ramen. Though, Sai's quiet sniggers did not stop until, fed up with the infuriating noise, Sasuke had asked outright whether anyone could hear a rat squeaking.

Amidst the whirlwind of nasty looks being shot back and forth between the two dark-haired ninjas, none of them noticed the slightly pale and sick appearance of their blonde companion as they left Ichiraku's Ramen.

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A/N: Geez, I felt like I was writing a ping-pong match between Sasuke and Sai. Heh! What do you guys think? 


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